Thirty Days of Music, Day Twenty Seven

On this coming Tuesday, this challenge will come to an end. Does that break your heart?

Good, because that’s what today’s song{s) should do apparently.

Day 27: A song that breaks your heart

2020: “No Distance Left To Run”, Blur

I mean, it doesn’t get more heartbreaking than this considering this performance was Damon coming to terms with his life at that point, telling himself that it was indeed over between him and Justine. Credit has to go to him for going to the effort of penning a song centred around the final, fateful breakup, when all he could have done instead was doing a more 13-style rendition of “To The End”. Same sentiment, but much more genuine and raw.

2025: “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, Joy Division

I’ve got a monthly entry coming up on New Year’s Eve and in it I’ll be talking about Joy Division and how, despite them being quality musicians, I do feel a little uneasy when listening to them. I know that’s likely the point given that they are a post punk outfit (arguably the poster boys for the genre to some), but like with the above song, real life context makes things that much more difficult to digest.

Most of all the single that sits neatly between Joy Division’s two albums, and maybe even above the pair of them. Ian Curtis laying himself so bare it’s a wonder this song isn’t sung by a skeleton. The title itself can be interpreted in different ways though. The love between Ian and Annik tearing apart his marriage to Deborah? Or tearing themselves apart inside, with all the metaphorical walls to their love keeping them separate? Poor sods, the three of them.

Those synth chords too. Cold, melancholy, funeralistic. Gives you the shivers.

Thirty Days of Music, Day Twenty Six

Good morning, it is Boxing Day, and we are feeling the effects of what we indulged in yesterday. Me personally, I had salmon and nibbles for lunch, a delicious roast served up by my Dad, and half a Terry’s chocolate orange from m’stocking, all washed down by a couple of G&Ts.

No mistletoe though, which probably sets us up quite nicely for what is in danger of being a rather soppy part of our 30 Day Song Challenge.

Day 26: A song that makes you want to fall in love

2020: “Take On Me”, a-ha

Another one of the best songs of the 80s, and along with “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” a song I had on my personalised radio station on a game called Saints Row 2. “Take On Me” makes for a surprisingly good backing song when you’re being chased by cops around the city.

2025: “Wild is the Wind”, David Bowie

I’ve gone this far into the month without dropping a Bowie song. Incredible.

And to be pedantic, this isn’t really a Bowie song at all, it’s ultimately a Nina Simone song. But that doesn’t change the fact it contains one of his best performances of his entire career. Heartfelt, and then some. Definitely makes a person want to fall in love, even if the narrator (Our old mate, the Thin White Duke) is one cold to the concept of what love even is. Ah, I want to listen to Station to Station now.

Thirty Days of Music, Day Twenty Five

Merry Christmas! Today, we’re going to talk about dead people.

Tis the season to be jolly.

Day 25: A song you like by an artist no longer living

2020: “Crosstown Traffic”, Jimi Hendrix

You remember when I did my October monthly and I referenced an obscure compilation CD from Q Magazine? My Mum used to bung it on a lot in 2001 and I know this because Jimi Hendrix’s “Crosstown Traffic” ended up being one of the most played tracks in my early childhood. Between that and listening to “The Changingman” by Paul Weller and “Lust for Life” by Iggy Pop, I think I had a rather eclectic taste in music when I was a toddler. Not bad for the fact I wouldn’t truly give a toss about music for another couple of decades.

But yeah, “Crosstown Traffic”. One of the many fine examples of the guitarwork of Jimi Hendrix.

2025: “Forever J”, Terry Hall

A few Christmases ago we lost Terry Hall, which was a crying shame. A very talented bloke as evidenced by the many eras of his career. From the Specials, to Fun Boy Three, to the Colourfield, he was turning in greats left and right.

And I think fans of his would agree that continued into his oft-forgotten and short-lived solo career. Unfortunately, it never really got off the ground when it came to the charts, hence the fact that this song, his debut single, barely scraped into the top 100. And frankly, it baffles me considering not only the reputation Terry had carved out for himself in the preceding fifteen years, but also the who’s who behind the track – Produced by Ian Broudie of the Lightning Seeds, co-written by latter day Smiths guitarist Craig Gannon, and drums and bass provided by ex-La Chris Sharrock and wandering Bunnyman Les Pattinson respectively. Not only that, Damon Albarn would work with Terry on a sister EP the following year, and Pulp would remix “Forever J” (Although to middling results in my opinion. If it ain’t broke…).

Given all that, I can’t quite get my head around how this didn’t fit in with the Britpop scene which was coming into bloom around the time Home was released. “Forever J” may not have resonated as much given it could be regarded as a bit too straightforward and poppy for Terry, but the man pulls things off quite nicely. A sweet performance that counters his typically sour demeanour. Also, I guess that today, being told that ‘you’re no Mel Gibson’ would be taken as a compliment.

Underrated song, underrated album. And for me personally, a lucky find – Home was deleted after release, and I somehow found it amongst the CDs at a local market stall. Don’t think I’ve been so quick to buy an album in my life.

Right then, I’ve got meals to tuck into and crackers to pull with my Mum and Dad. Hope you have a lovely Christmas Day!

Thirty Days of Music, Day Twenty Four

Funny thing, since I first did this challenge in 2020, quite a few of my favourite bands reunited:

  • Pulp – Came back for More
  • Blur – Released The Ballad of Darren
  • Oasis – Against all odds, reunited for the Live 25 tour
  • Radiohead – Also reunited out of the blue for a few shows

How time flies.

Day 24: A song by a band you wish were still together

2020: “Help the Aged”, Pulp

Ah, the one time during this series that I can most definitely call a choice of mine outdated. It’s been fantastic having Pulp back. The aged need no help as Jarvis and co. have proved these past few years.

2025: “Long Season” (98.12.28 version), Fishmans

Technically, Fishmans haven’t disbanded. But I think a lot of their fans would consider them so given that no material has been released in a long time, and their lead singer’s been dead for well over a quarter century.

Still, I’ve been on a bit of a binge of their work lately. 98.12.28 Otokotachi no Wakare remains one of the best live albums of all time, as the band not only replicate their best tracks note for note but also expand on them superbly, prime example being “Long Season”.  Given that they didn’t even know that that was going to be the last song they ever did before Shinji Sato passed away, you’d never guess that it wasn’t being treated as the end of Fishmans. It’s that good.

In fact, if you’ve got some of that holiday buzz this Christmas Eve and you’re struggling to get to sleep this evening, stick this song on. If that doesn’t work, plonk the whole album on. Trust me, you’ll be in dreamland one way or another.

Thirty Days of Music, Day Twenty Three

Well, being a radio presenter, I can give you a library’s worth of music that you should listen to. Actually no, that’s hyperbole. Let’s be realistic. A very thin paperback perhaps.

I’m intrigued to see what I chose last time, I’m sure you are too. Let’s have a gander.

Day 23: A song you think everybody should listen to

2020: “A Design For Life”, Manic Street Preachers

A good choice if I do say so myself. One of the best anthems every anthem’ed, perhaps the Manics most powerful statement as not only do they make the ultimate song for the working class, but also proved they had a future beyond Richey Edwards.

Yup, it’s one of those ones that you must listen to if at the very least you want to call yourself a fan of 90s music. As far as rock, not just Britpop but rock, at that time goes, it frankly doesn’t get that much better.

2025: “The Old Man’s Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)”, Scott Walker

Genuinely, I had no idea this song even existed until a few days ago. But recently, while I was still trying to convince my brain that I was back on dry land and not bobbing up and down, I made a list of bands and artists I wanted to listen to soon and one of them was Scott Walker. A quick bit of Googling led me to Scott 4 and the many acts of brilliance that came within. The unquestionable highlight for me was “The Old Man’s Back Again”.

The word I’d use to describe this song? Evocative. Because oh my God does this song resonate with the modern day listener, provided they’re not too deaf to the world. Then, it was Scott contemplating the heat of the Cold War as Czechoslovakia was invaded. Now? Well, take your pick. The old man is coming back and doing so in a big way. And we can only hope that this time in some form, he trips and breaks a hip. It’s for the best really.

But yeah, political context or otherwise it’s a hauntingly beautiful song that needs to be heard at least once, along with the rest of Scott 4. I’ll talk more about the album itself in the New Year.